Machine for removing dust from fabrics



prl 10, 1951 H. L. LIGHT 2,547,952

MACHINE FoR REMovING DusT FROM FABRICS Filed May 26, 1945 .i INVENTOR. f2 v\//arc /o/lzf.1

TTORA/Ev Patented Apr. 1Q, 1951 MACHINE FOR REMOVING DUST FROM FABRICS Harold L. Light, United states Army, Y

Lewistown, Pa.

Application May 26, 1945, Serial No. 596,070

2 Claims.` (Cl. 15--89) Y A(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 3i), 1928; 370 0.

The invention described herein, if patented may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This inventio-n relates to a machine for removing dust from fabrics, and more particularly to a machine for removing ilour dust from bags by means of a rotating bag beater provided with an automatic' starting and stopping device.

Before a ilour bag can be reused, the dust adhering to the fabric must be removed. If the dust removal is carried out by beating the bag manually. clouds of flour dust .are raised which settle on the operator and-on all objects in the room, including the bag; this is injurious to the health .ofthe operator, necessitates tedious cleanups, and prevents a thorough removal of the flour from the bag. Several devices for mechanical removal of the dust from a bag havebeen proposed, but have not met with success because of their complicated construction and slow operation speed.

According to the present invention, the bagbeating mechanism consists of a box in which is mounted a rotating paddle driven by an electric motor. The bag is inserted in the box through a slot in the lid of the box and clamped into position by a hinged bar paralleling the slot, which the operator swings down and presses down on the bag, thereby eiectively closing the slot. When the bar is rst swung down and pressed down, an extension on said bar actuates a plunger switch which in turn starts the electric motor driving the set of paddles. When the operator releases his manual pressure on the bar, the plunger switch automatically opens the current, .thereby stopping the paddles, and the bag is withdrawn from the apparatus. f.

An object of this invention is a machine which will quickly remove dust from ilour bag or other flexible material.

Another object is a bag dusting machine with a beating mechanism which starts automatically when the bag is clamped in the machine, and stops when the bag is withdrawn.

A further object of this invention is a means for cleaning a flour bag or other dust covered flexible material, without exposing the operator and the working place to clouds of dust.

It is an additional object of the present invention to speed the work of bag dusting.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bag dusting machine which, with the exception of an electric motor and switch therefor, can be inexpensively and sturdily constructed from scrap material.

Still other objects of the invention will readily be apparent from the detailed description of a preferred form of the invention, as illustrated in the appended drawings.

While the principal use of a machine in accordance with my invention consists in the removal of dust from bags, particularly our dust from ilour bags, the uses to which the machine may be put are not limited thereto, but extend to the entire field ofremoving dust from flexible fabrics.

The appended drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a sidel elevation of a dust removing machine in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a top view corresponding to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section through the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, along lines 3--3 of Figure 1. Y y Figure 4 shows, in longitudinal section, a preferred form of a plunger switch, mounted on the dust removing machine illustrated in Figures 1 to 3.

In the following detailed description of the drawings, II denotes a box supported by legs I 2 and closed by hinged lid I3. A lo-ng slot I4 is cut in lid I3 at or near the center line of the latter. Strip I5 of at least the same length as lslot I4 is rigidly fastened to lid I 3' parallel t0 and immediately adjacent slot I4. A bar I6, corresponding in length to strip I5, is secured to lid I3 by hinges I'I, I'I' in such a position that, when tilted down, it covers slot I4 and lies side to side with strip I5.

Inside box II, paddles I8 or other fabric beating means are mounted on rotatable shaft I9 which rests in bearings 20, 20 at opposite sides of box II. Electric motor 2i, connected to circuit 22, drives shaft I9 through transmission and gear means in housing 23.

A preferred means for automatically starting and stopping the rotation of paddles i8 is an automatic switch 24 for closing and opening circuit 22. I prefer to use a switch of the plunger type which consists of a xed lower terminal 25 and a movable upper terminal 26 inside a block'of insulating material 21; upper terminal 26 is secured to plunger 28 by rod 29 which is surrounded by helical spring 3D resting on flange 3| above upper Vterminal 26. Spring 3l) urges plunger 28 to protrude above block 21 and thus separates terminals 25 and 26, which causes circuit 22 to remain open. Switch 24 is mounted to a side wall of box I I near one end of hinged bar I6. Bar I6 is provided with a rigid extension 32, such as a rigid strip, protruding beyond the side wall of box II." When bar I6 is lowered, its extension 32 depresses plunger 28, which compresses spring 30 and causes terminals 25 and 26 to come in contact with each other; this closes circuit 22 and starts electric motor 2| which in turn rotates shaft I9 and paddles I8. When bar I6 is raised, plunger 28 is released, and spring 30 urges terminals 25 and 26 apart, thereby opening circuit 22 and stopping motor 2 I.

To prevent accumulation of dust inside box I I I prefer to have in place of its bottom an open hopper 33 below which a dust receptacle (not shown) is placed. In lieu of the open hopper 33 may be substituted a hopper closed by a trap door (not shown) which is periodically opened for the removal of accumulated dust.

In operation, the operator grasps bag 34 (or other piece of fabric) with both hands at one .end and inserts about three-quarters of it into box II through slot I4. While stretching bag 34 to its full width, he closes bar I6 with the palms of both hands. This clamps the end of bag 34 in position between bar I6 and strip I5; at the same time, the extension 32 depresses plunger 28, which starts motor 2l and paddles I9. While the bag 34 is beaten by paddles I8, the operator retains his hold on the end of bag 34 and continues to press down on bar I6. After a short time (about ten seconds) the portion of bag 34 which has been inserted in box II has been thoroughly dusted. The operator thereupon removes bag 34 by pulling it up and out; this motion causes bar I6 to tiltupwardly, which automatically releases the pressure on plunger 28 and stops' motor 2| and paddles I8. The operation is then repeated by inserting the other end of bag 34 in box II. In the case of flour bags, where the flour dust accumulates on the inside of the bag, the bag is turned inside out prior to the beating operation.

When it is desired to clean paddles I8 and the inside of box II, the entire lid I3 is raised for easy access.

It will be understood that the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of my invention is in the nature of an illustration, and that other modifications and substitutions of equivalent parts without departing from the principle of my invention will readily occur to the expert. I therefore desire to limit the scope of my invention by the appended claims only.

I claim:

1. A machine for removing dust from a fabric, comprising anbox, a movable lid being provided with a narrow elongated slot for the insertion of said fabric into said box, means rotatably mounted in said box for beating said fabric, an electric 4 motor for rotating said beating means, a narrow elongated bar hinged to said lid adjacent said slot, said bar being at least as long as said slot for completely covering said slot to prevent escape of dust and for clamping said fabric in position for dust removal, a lateral extension on said bar, and a switch electrically connected with said motor, said switch being positioned in the line of travel of said extension; whereby said extension is swingable into operative engagement with said switch synchronously with the downward travel of said bar and said motor is automatically started when said bar is lowered into fabric-clamping position, and whereby said switch is released and said motor is automatically stopped when said bar is raised into fabric-releasing position.

2. A machine for removing dust from a fabric, comprising a box, a lid hinged to said box, said lid being provided with a narrow relongated slot for the insertion of said fabric into said box, means rotatably mounted in said box for beating said fabric, an electric motor for rotating said beating means, a narrow elongated bar hinged to said lid adjacent said slot, said bar being at least as long as said slot for completely covering said slot to prevent escape of dust and for clamping said fabric in position for dust removal, a lateral extension on said bar, and a switch electrically connected with said motor, said switch being positioned in the line of travel of said extension whereby said extension is swingable into operative engagement with said switch synchronously with the downward travel of said bar when said lid is in closed position and said' motor is automatically started when said bar is lowered into fabric-clamping position, and whereby said switch is released and said motor is automatically stopped when said bar is raised into fabric-releasing position.

HAROLD L. LIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,235,907 Lippmann Aug, 7, 1917 1,414,727 Edmands May 2, 1922 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 68,301 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1915 84,151 Germany of 1895 119,907 Germany Apr. 29, 1901 631,844. France of 1927 

